Dragons and Vikings Are Real
by Kamije Celeek
Summary: Once Upon A Time AU: Minutes after their daughter's birth, Hiccup and Astrid were thrown into the modern world and separated by a curse, their memories locked away. Ten years later, a girl shows up on Astrid's doorstep, claiming to be her daughter and needing her help to break said curse. Astrid reluctantly agrees, not knowing that she's set on a path to reunite her lost family.
1. Prologue

Six months.

That was how long it had been since they'd defeated Drago Bludvist and his Bewilderbeast. It had been six months since they'd found Valka and lost Stoick. Six months since Hiccup had been declared Chief of Berk. In that time, Berk had rebuilt with the help of the hundreds of new dragons and visitors from other islands. Heather, the recently-declared Chief of the Berserkers, even came to offer her condolences to the Hairy Hooligans and assistance in the rebuilding. The Archipelago was at peace, despite the looming fear that Drago wasn't dead. Nobody had seen him die.

Today, though, Hiccup wasn't worried about Drago or rebuilding.

No, today, the Chief of Berk stood before his entire tribe (and a few visitors from his travels, like Dagur, Mala, Heather, and Atali), sweating nervously next to Gobber, more fearful than he'd been in his entire life. He wasn't facing down an enemy or a wild dragon—no, those were easy for him. Today, he was marrying the girl he'd been in love with since he was twelve, and that scared him more than anything else. He half-expected his sister to rush in and say that Astrid had run off, or to wake up and have the past five-and-a-half years be a dream.

It was _real_ , though.

"Buck up, Chief," Gobber whispered. "This is the hard part."

"Thank you, Gobber." Hiccup was thankful at least _one_ father figure was there that day. He could see his mother sitting in the front row, smiling happily.

The doors to the Great Hall opened and Signy entered, followed by Heather and Ruffnut. Not far behind them was the bride herself.

Astrid Hofferson.

If Hiccup had been worried she'd run off before, it was all melting away at the sight of his bride. In true Viking tradition, she wore a dress she'd sewn with the help of her three 'handmaids' (Signy had punched Snotlout in the nose for calling them that) and a bridal crown made of precious stones. Astrid smiled at him as she walked towards the altar, her long hair tucked into an intricate hairdo he was sure had taken _hours_ to do. He couldn't breathe for a second.

"Hey," Astrid whispered as she reached him.

"Hi, Astrid." She laughed lightly.

"Okay, we are all gathered here for a very important reason," Gobber began. "And that reason is because this man and this woman have decided to spend the rest of their lives together. We ask the gods to bless this union and give them happiness for all their days. I believe you both have vows, right, Chief?"

"Yes," Hiccup replied, taking Astrid's hands in his own. "Astrid, milady, I have been in love with you for so many years. Back when the war with the dragons was still going on, I'd watch you from the forge and wonder how I'd ever get your attention. As it turned out, it took me cheating my way through dragon training, and even then, you tried to knock me out. You were the first person I ever took flying on Toothless with me, and you're the only woman I've ever loved this way. You're beautiful, strong, smart, and the one person I want to spend the rest of my days with. And, like I told you before, there will always be a Hiccup and Astrid, always." He took the ring from his pocket and slid it onto Astrid's left ring finger.

" _Aw!_ " whispered Signy from her spot in between Valka and Eret.

"And, you, Astrid?" Gobber asked the bride.

"Hiccup, I know you think I didn't notice you when you worked in the forge during the Dragon War, but I did. You were different from everyone else on Berk. You were a thinker, an inventor, and you had a knack for getting into trouble that could rival the twins. I didn't want to admit it back then, but I had a crush on you, too. When we went flying on Toothless for the first time together, I realized _why_ you were different—because you saw past someone's exterior for who they were beneath the surface. I'm so happy to be marrying you, and you're just as handsome, smart, and kind. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." She took the ring from her own pocket and slid it onto Hiccup's finger.

" _I think I'm gonna cry,_ " Tuffnut whimpered to his sister.

"Are there any objections?" Gobber asked. Snotlout started to stand up, but Ruffnut yanked him down. "Well, then, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the—"

Hiccup hadn't waited for Gobber to finish and kissed Astrid, much like he had six months prior.

Suddenly, the door to the Great Hall flew open. They all turned to see a large figure, clad in a dragon-skin cloak, enter the hall. He was missing an arm and they all knew who it was in an instant.

"Drago," Hiccup growled in warning. "What are you doing here?"

"Dragon Master, congratulations on your marriage," Drago chuckled.

"You won't kill us," Astrid snarled, gripping the ax that was safely strapped to her back.

"On the contrary, Chieftess. I've come to give you a gift."

"What gift?!" Signy yelled, before Eret grabbed her arm to pull her behind him.

"My gift to you is this happy, happy day, because I have plans. You ruined my life, so I will ruin yours." He grinned that terrible grin he'd worn when the Bewilderbeast had fallen at Valka's nest. "Enjoy your peace while you can."

He swept his cloak behind him as he exited the hall.

 _"HEY!_ "

Drago turned as Hiccup threw Inferno at him, dodging it in the nick of time.

"Dammit," Hiccup muttered. He felt Astrid's hand on his shoulder.

"Leave it alone, babe. He can't hurt us right now."

"R-right." Hiccup turned to his wife and hugged her, relieved that Drago had left them alone for now.

* * *

Drago felt chills as he made his way through the swamp. He was never a man to admit to fear, but this place… this place was different. The trees were so thick that sunlight couldn't filter through properly, and it felt eerie with the yak-stew fog that surrounded Drago's tiny boat. The water was too dark to see the bottom, appropriate considering the location. Drago shook his head, trying to rid himself of the fear that plagued his mind. He was here for a reason, and that reason did not need fear. He'd been searching for over a year, and he wasn't turning back now.

Finally, the hut he was looking for came into view. A woman in her late twenties was sitting in a chair in front of it, a Terrible Terror resting on her lap. Her hair was dark as a raven's feathers, and her eyes were the color of Deathsong Amber. She was as beautiful and deadly-looking as the legends had described, and the very person he required to get his revenge. He was about to speak when she looked up and smiled.

"I was wondering when you'd arrive," she mused, tapping the Terrible Terror. It awoke and scurried through a small flap in the bottom of the door.

"Are you… the witch, Hilda?"

"Yes, I am. And _you_ are Drago Bludvist, the Dragon Killer." She tilted her head. "Tell me, what need do you have of a magic user like me?"

"I want revenge on the Dragon Master—Hiccup Haddock, Chief of Berk!"

"That's a tall order, Drago." She straightened her head and stood up, bringing her long, thick hair over her shoulder.

"You are the only one who can help me, Hilda."

"Well, I know all about Chief Hiccup Haddock, and I can tell you that you cannot beat him the way things are now."

"What must I do?"

"We must bring him to a place where he is nowhere near as powerful—a land without dragons, into the future. But, if you wish, I could cast the curse on the entire Archipelago and all of his allies."

"He will not give up easily."

"I am aware. That is why we must separate him and his wife. They're an unstoppable team and we will _fail_."

"What is your price for this spell?"

"Only one thing—in this new land, I will be your wife."

"Deal." Drago looked her up and down, seeing her as wife material.

The Terrible Terror ran back out of the hut, carrying a piece of parchment and several ingredients, which it deposited in Hilda's pot. She then took a knife and cut off the end of her hair and a bit of Drago's. Both were added to the mix as the Terror started a fire. Drago smiled.

"Now we wait three days, and then your revenge will begin."

* * *

On Berk, after more than a year since Drago's threat, things had changed. Round-the-clock guards were posted to keep an eye out for the madman. Fishlegs had left Berk in favor of being with Heather, leaving Snotlout to marry Ruffnut. She didn't mind, though, considering Eret had made it _very clear_ he was only interested in one girl on Berk—Signy. The biggest change, though, was for the Haddock family.

Astrid was pregnant.

Astrid was 'going-to-give-birth-any-day-now' pregnant.

Oh, wait, excuse me.

She was _'author-I'm-giving-birth-right-this-damn-minute'_ pregnant.

And that was the sound that broke the early morning silence on Berk.

" _HICCUP HORRENDOUS HADDOCK THE THIRD, I AM GOING TO_ **GUT** _YOU!_ "

Hiccup cringed at his wife's screams, but he held her hand tightly. He was a little scared, but he knew she was just in pain. Besides, it was his fault she was in this much pain. Her normally-tight grip was even tighter than normal as she sobbed for it to be over. Valka, Gothi, Asta, and Signy were all in the room, all providing different forms of support. Signy was clutching Astrid's other hand, her own gently-rounded pregnant belly clear to the other women in the room but not Hiccup. Valka was keeping track of Astrid's progress while Gothi prepared the herbs and Asta was standing with a blanket to wrap the baby in.

"I can see the head!" Valka announced, sending her son into a panic. "Astrid, I need you to push on the count of three!"

They had no idea that Drago and Hilda had cast the curse, a fast-moving one that was making its way to them.

" _HICCUP, I'M GOING TO KILL YOU_!"

"You're doing great, milady," he assured her.

"One… two… three!"

Astrid screamed as she pushed, practically crushing Hiccup's hand in the process.

A baby's cry filled the room.

It was over.

"It's a girl!" Valka told the proud parents. The baby was cleaned and swaddled before being placed in her mother's arms. Gothi, Asta, and Valka all left the room, Signy staying due to a sudden bout of morning sickness.

"What should we call her?" Astrid asked Hiccup.

"Serafina," he said.

"Serafina?"

"I heard it when we were down south a while back, and I heard it means burning serpent. What better name for a girl raised with dragons?"

"I love it. Serafina… our Sera."

Suddenly, there were loud shouts outside. Signy ran out and saw a large, billowing cloud of smoke coming straight for them. Eret rushed up to her and pulled her back into the Haddock house, hugging her to his chest. Hiccup's eyes widened as he embraced Astrid and Sera, who was beginning to fuss.

"I love you both more than anything," he whispered to Astrid.

They were swallowed by the curse.

* * *

 **If you got** _ **Once Upon A Time**_ **vibes from this, you get a cookie.**

 **This story is loosely based of the series, with many changes to account for everything that differs between the two universes.**

 **Also, yes, Signy is pregnant with Eret's child. Boy works fast, that's all I'm gonna say.**

 **So long and thanks for all the fish!**


	2. From Boston to Berk

_Boston_

Serafina Haddock was out of her element, that much she knew.

For the past several hours, she'd been riding on a bus from Maine to Boston, Massachusetts. She had nothing except the clothes on her back, her backpack, and the leather-bound book on her lap, titled _How to Train Your Dragon_. She gripped it tightly, knowing that she had to keep it safe. She was almost at her destination, and she checked the watch her father had given her the previous year.

 _11:22. Less than an hour until my birthday starts._

The bus came to a stop and Sera exited onto the sidewalk, pulling a black credit card out of her pocket. If one cared to look closely, it had the name _Tuffnut LaVerne Thorston_ embedded on it. She approached a taxi driver idling by the curb and tapped on the window. The driver rolled it down as she held up the credit card.

"Do you take plastic?"

The driver nodded and Sera got into the backseat, swiping the card through the reader.

"326 North Liberty Street, please."

"You visiting someone?" the driver inquired.

"Yeah. My mom."

The ride was longer than Sera had expected, since the Boston traffic was much more clogged and cluttered than she was used to back in Berk. The driver didn't try to ask her any more questions, sensing that she wanted the silence. It was 11:55 when she arrived at her destination. The building loomed above her as she stood at the entrance, a little hesitant but hopeful. Sera pulled the door open and went to the elevator, pulling a piece of paper out of her pocket.

 _326 North Liberty Street, Apartment 14C._

"Here I go."

Sera pressed the button labeled 14.

 _11:58._

She arrived at 14C at precisely midnight and knocked on the door. She bounced anxiously on her heels as footsteps approached on the other side of the door. It was opened by a woman with long blonde hair tied in a braid over her shoulder. Her eyes were ice blue, a color that would chill most people to the bone. For Sera, it was comforting.

"Can I help you?" the woman asked.

"Are you… Astrid Hofferson?"

"Yes. Who are you?"

"My name is Sera. I'm your daughter."

"Nope. I don't have a daughter." Astrid tried to close the door, but Sera held it open.

"Yes, you do, and I came here to ask for your help. I need you to help me save our family."

Astrid swallowed and glanced down the hall, where she could see her neighbor (the one she was pretty sure was a pedophile) eying Sera with interest as he fumbled with his keys, not taking his eyes off the auburn-haired little girl for a second. The blonde then checked her watch: 12:01. She let out an exasperated sigh and pulled Sera into the apartment.

"Okay, kid, you can stay for the night, but I'm taking you home in the morning." Astrid closed the door and locked it for good measure. "Set your stuff down."

Sera did as she was told and took the opportunity to look around the apartment. It was obviously the home of just one person, and that person obviously didn't have any significant others. Astrid was single, which was a relief to the green-eyed girl.

"Do you have any juice, Astrid?" Sera asked.

"Yeah. Let me get some for you."

She set out two glasses and poured apple juice into each one. Sera took one and drank it, but she noticed Astrid had both hands wrapped around the glass, as if she wasn't quite believing what she was doing. On her left ring finger, an engagement ring glittered. It had a silver band and a large, dark green emerald set into it, surrounded by six small blue topaz stones. It was beautiful and obviously custom-made, a ring that had obviously cost quite a bit of money to have done. She chose not to ask about it, though, in case Astrid dodged the question.

"So, where are you from?" Astrid inquired of Sera.

"Berk, Maine."

" _Maine_?"

"Yep."

"Your parents must be worried sick."

"I just have a dad and a soon-to-be stepmother. I don't have a real mom." She tilted her head and beamed at Astrid. "Until now, at least."

"Sera, I'm sorry to hurt your feelings, but I don't even remember being pregnant, much less giving birth."

"I know. That's because of the curse, and we have to go back to Berk, right now."

"Tell you what. Let's call you a cab… wait, how old are you?"

"Ten today."

"Well, happy birthday… and I can't let you take a cab. Dammit."

"How about you drive me?" Astrid looked thoughtful, then nodded.

"That's the best way to get you home. Grab your stuff. You're lucky I don't need much sleep."

"Yay!" Sera grabbed her backpack while Astrid went to change. She came out in a white tank top and red leather jacket with a fur-lined hood. She also wore a pair of jeans and combat boots.

Sera, on the other hand, was wearing a puffy blue winter coat and a pair of jeans with sneakers. Her shirt was one with a black dragon on it, with piercing green eyes that matched her own.

"I've got my purse and my keys. Let's go, kid."

They headed out and Astrid locked the door behind her. The possible-pedophile watched them with interest and Astrid shot him a glare, which sent him back into his apartment. Sera noticed but didn't say anything. Her book had said that Astrid was a formidable opponent for anyone to face. Perverted old men were included in that camp.

Astrid's car was a forest green Bug that matched the color of Sera—and Sera's father's—eyes. They got into it and Astrid began backing out of the parking garage. Once they were on the highway, Sera opened her backpack and took out her book, which Astrid noticed.

"Hey, what's that about?"

"It's how I know you're my real mom. Everybody in my town is in it in some way."

"I don't understand—how does that tell you I'm your birth mother?"

"Because everybody in my town is in it, and you are, too."

Astrid looked at the book, then turned her attention back to the road.

* * *

 _Welcome to Berk!_

Astrid wanted to punch the much-too-cheery sign as they drove by. Sera had nodded off in the passenger seat, the book still in her grasp. They were going down some kind of main street, where Astrid could see several businesses—all closed for the night. She tapped Sera on the shoulder, waking her up.

"Hey, kid, where do you live?" Sera blinked the sleep from her eyes then smiled up at Astrid.

"44 I'm-Not-Telling-You Lane."

Astrid slammed on the brakes and they screeched to a stop.

"Are you _kidding me_?!" The frustrated blonde put the car in park and got out, Sera scrambling to follow.

"Wait, Astrid—"

"I just drove _four hours_ from _Boston_ to get you home, and now you're refusing to tell me where you live?!"

"I'm sorry…"

"I need you to be serious, because it's…" She glanced at the clocktower above the library. "8:15?"

"That clock is broken. It hasn't worked in all the time I've lived here."

"Whatever."

"Sera?" a voice called. Astrid turned to see a heavyset blonde man carrying a pug and an umbrella standing on the sidewalk nearby.

"Hi, Fishlegs," Sera greeted the man, staring at the pavement.

"Sera, you're back!" He ran up and set the pug down before giving the little girl a hug. "Your father and Cami have been worried sick about you!"

"I found my _real_ mom!" Sera told him proudly. He looked up at Astrid and stood so they were eye-level.

"You're Sera's birth mother?"

"I guess I am… according to her."

"Well, it's nice to meet you." He stuck out his hand. "I'm Dr. Fishlegs Ingerman, the town psychiatrist. Sera's one of my patients."

"I'm just trying to get her home. Do you know where she lives?"

"Of course. 47 Fury Avenue, right up that way." He pointed to a side street not far away. "It's white with green shutters. Three floors, can't miss it."

"Thank you, Dr. Ingerman."

"Just call me Fishlegs. Everyone does."

"Thank you, Fishlegs. Come on, Sera."

"I'll see you for our session tomorrow, Sera!" Fishlegs told the little girl.

"Bye, Fishlegs!" The two females got back into the Bug and Astrid went down the street Fishlegs had pointed out.

"So, he's your shrink?" Astrid asked.

"Cami has me going to him because she's worried that I don't have friends."

"And going to a shrink is supposed to fix that?"

"I never said she was smart." Astrid looked at the house numbers and soon came to the address she was looking for.

"Well, kid, we're here." They got out of the car and Sera headed for the front door. It flew open as a tall man with auburn hair ran out and practically tackled the little girl.

"Hi, Daddy," she greeted the man, hugging him back. He pulled away and held her firmly by the shoulders.

"Serafina Haddock, never do that to me again! Do you hear me?"

"Yes, Daddy." He hugged her again as a woman with light brown hair appeared in the doorway.

"Sera's home?" she asked.

"Yeah!" Sera pulled away from her father and looked at Astrid before looking back at the woman. "And I found my _real_ mom!"

She ran into the house and up the stairs while her father stood straight up and looked at Astrid. The blonde felt her breath hitch at the sight of him. He was so familiar, yet she was _certain_ she'd never seen him before. He had the same hair and eyes as his daughter, with the same freckles dotting his face. The effect he had on her was instantaneous and it made her want to punch him in the face for making her feel that way. She refrained, however, since that was a terrible first impression.

"You're her birth mother?" the brunette asked.

"That's what she thinks." She held her hand out to the auburn-haired man. "I'm Astrid Hofferson."

"H-Hiccup H-Haddock," the man stammered, taking her hand. A pop of electricity went through the two of them, as if it was by fate's design that they meet. They stood there awkwardly, holding each other's hand, before the brown-haired woman cleared her throat.

"Thank you for bringing her home, A-Astrid," Hiccup said. "I'm sure you have to get going."

"Y-yeah, I do." They broke contact and Astrid headed back to her Bug while Hiccup and the woman went back inside. Astrid glanced up and saw Sera watching her through an upstairs window before she started back towards Boston.

And she couldn't get Hiccup out of her head.

"What is _wrong_ with me?" she growled to herself. "Stupid Hiccup. No, stupid _Astrid_! He's engaged!"

Before she reached the town sign, she glanced at the passenger seat and realized Sera's book was on it. She groaned and looked back at the road, only to see a massive bear-dog standing there. She screamed and lost control, crashing into the town sign. Sera's book fell to the floor, falling open on a page with a Viking couple getting married. Astrid tilted her head.

 _Me… and Hiccup?!_

She lost consciousness.

* * *

 **So, as you can probably tell, I combined several** _ **Once Upon A Time**_ **characters to make our cast. Astrid is both Snow White and Emma, while Hiccup plays a mix of Regina and David. Making Fishlegs Dr. Hopper was actually something I thought wasn't a bad choice, given his nonconfrontational nature. Sera is Henry, but she has a little touch all her own, and next time, we'll meet a few more residents of Berk.**

 **Including Mayor Bludvist and his wife.**

 **So long and thanks for all the fish!**


	3. Bailed Out

"Hey, Blondie, wake up!"

Astrid let out a groan as an irritating and demanding voice pounded in her head. She sat up and opened her eyes, holding her head. There was a bandage on her right temple that she could feel, and she was in a jail cell. She frantically looked around and realized there was a short, tough-looking guy in the cell next to her. He had red hair and a scar running down his face with tattoos all over.

"Oh, good, you're up!" he said, smiling. "You were out _cold_ when they brought you in this morning."

"Where am I?"

"Welcome to Berk's jail and police station! My name is Dagur, and I'll be your cellmate this day. What's your name? Unless, of course, you _prefer_ me calling you 'Blondie'."

"I don't. My name is Astrid."

"Pretty name."

"Why am I in here?"

"Because, Astrid, you crashed into the town sign. That's destruction of public property. I'm in here for the same thing!"

"You crashed into the town sign?"

"Nope. I, uh, may have written a few choice words on Mayor Bludvist's house… in bright red spray-paint."

"That's private property, and really? The _mayor_?"

"I don't like the way he runs this town."

"Okay, so I'm in prison with a crazy person."

"I prefer… _deranged_."

"That you do, Dagur," a new voice said as a woman with very short blonde hair came into the station. She set her jacket on the back of the sheriff's chair and took out a set of keys. Not far behind her was another woman, this one with dark hair braided over her shoulder.

"Hello, Mala!" Dagur greeted the blonde. "And Heather! I knew you'd come!"

"She already paid your bail, and I figured it would be better for her to deal with you." Mala unlocked Dagur's cell and opened it. He ran up to the dark-haired woman and hugged her. She had a look of annoyance as she pushed him away and grabbed his ear, pulling him behind her.

"OW! EAR, EAR, EAR! THAT'S MY EAR, SIS!"

Astrid rolled her eyes as Mala came up to her cell.

"Well, Miss Hofferson, I must admit, crashing into the town sign is not the best way to leave a mark."

"There was a dog in the road," Astrid defended.

"There are several stray animals in Berk, so I'm not surprised. It's not the first time it's happened."

"How long am I in for?" Mala smiled and unlocked Astrid's cell.

"You're free to go. Someone paid your bail."

"Who would pay the bail of somebody who _literally_ got into town last night and has never been here?"

"You'll have to ask him why."

Around the corner came…

Hiccup.

"Um, hey. Hi, Astrid. Hi, Astrid. Hi, Astrid…" he mumbled, refusing to look her in the eye.

"Hiccup. Thank you."

"L-let's go." The two started heading for the door.

"Wait!" Mala called. Astrid turned. "You forgot your personal effects—purse, car keys, and this… book."

Sera's book.

"Oh, thank you. The book's not mine, but I know who it belongs to."

"Well, I hope you enjoy your time here." Mala smiled as Hiccup tapped Astrid on the shoulder. They walked out of the police station.

"So, why did you post my bail?" Astrid asked. "We just met last night."

"Because… you brought Sera home, and I owed you for that. It's the same reason I'm paying for your car to be fixed."

"Thank you, again." She shoved her hands in the pockets of her coat. "So, what's up with the whole 'birth mother' obsession?"

"Sera isn't easy to deal with at times, and she's been absolutely _adamant_ that I don't marry Cami in three months. She seems to think if she finds her birth mother—who she thinks is _you_ —then I won't marry Cami." Astrid was quiet for a second.

"Is it the first time she's tried to run away?"

"Yes. I don't know how she found you in… um…"

"Boston."

"Boston—right. I don't know how she got to you, either."

"She's smart."

"Yeah, and a loner. The same way I used to be."

"You're not smart anymore?" Hiccup picked up on the teasing tone in Astrid's voice and laughed.

"No, though a lot of people, including my dad, will say I am a dumbass."

"What made you stop being so alone?"

"I… I guess it started right after I lost my leg."

"You're missing a leg?!"

"Hard to believe, right? But… I lost my leg in a car accident when I was fifteen. After that, I started meeting people, making friends…"

"Making a baby." The tone wasn't teasing this time; it was more factual.

"Yeah. I don't even remember what Sera's mom looked like, but… she left me Sera. I'm grateful for that."

"And now you have Cami."

"Yep."

Before either of them could say anything else, a car pulled up—a black car. The window rolled down to reveal the brown-haired woman from the previous night.

"Hiccup, Sera's missing," she panted. "Dr. Ingerman said she never showed up for her session."

"Again?!" He slid into the car, motioning for Astrid to get into the backseat. She did, not knowing what else to do. "We'll check with Miss Larsen first, make sure Sera was at school today."

Cami drove the car to Dragon's Edge Academy—the only school in town, according to Hiccup, and one that had fantastic teachers and students alike. There were quite a few of both varieties milling about the yard, given the fact that school was over for the day. Hiccup and Cami ran inside, Astrid following. They came to the fourth-grade classroom, where a woman with bright red hair was tidying up her desk. She turned around and let out a yelp of surprise, dropping the cup of pens and pencils she was holding with a clatter.

"Hiccup!" she gasped. "You scared the life out of me!"

"Sorry, Signy. We're just looking for Sera."

"Do you know where she went after school?" Cami inquired.

"N-no. She wasn't in class today. I assumed she was with you two…" Her voice trailed off as she spotted Astrid. "Three. You three."

"Do you have any idea where she would go?" Astrid spoke up.

"Her nest. It's a little place down by the beach that she told me about. It's her quiet place."

"Thank you!" Hiccup and Cami ran out of the room, leaving Signy and Astrid alone. Signy sighed and shook her head, crouching to pick up the pens.

It was then that Astrid noticed the baby bump.

"No, let me," she urged, bending over and picking it all up while Signy stood back up.

"Are you Sera's mother?"

"What makes you ask that?" Astrid set the cup back on Signy's desk.

"The other day… she said that she was going to bring her family back together, that she was going to find you."

"Me, specifically?"

"No. She said she was going to find her birth mother, and that's you. She looks like a perfect mix of you and Hiccup."

"She also thinks that this whole town is under a curse."

"And it could be." Signy rested a hand on her belly. "I mean, I feel like I've been pregnant for ten years, at this stage. And even if there's no curse, every child deserves to know both parents. Mine… doesn't have that."

"One-night stand?"

"Don't even remember his name."

"Well, I'm going to go find Sera, so if you'll excuse me."

"No, not a problem. What's your name?"

"Astrid."

"Astrid." Signy looked thoughtful. "It's so strange—I feel like, in another life, we would've been friends."

"Me, too."

Astrid walked out of the school and saw that Hiccup and Cami's car was gone. She sighed before noticing the bear-dog that had caused her car to crash sitting by the steps. It looked at her and barked happily.

"Hey," Astrid greeted it. "I don't suppose you know how to find a ten-year-old girl, do you?"

The dog barked again, and Astrid realized it was a female.

"Hey, girl, find Sera."

* * *

Sera sat in the cove, hugging her knees to her chest. She'd been so sure that she could break the curse by bringing Astrid to Berk, and it hadn't worked. Nobody remembered anything, not even Astrid. The book had said Astrid and Hiccup had a true connection that nobody could challenge, but… she hadn't seen it. Astrid had left town, and now Hiccup and Cami would be watching her more closely than ever. She'd lost her chance.

A deep bark came from the woods as a familiar dog came out of it, followed by Astrid.

"Stormfly!" Sera gasped, jumping up and hugging the dog.

"Yours?" Astrid panted.

"You're still here?" Sera's eyes were glimmering with hope.

"Yeah. Is this your dog?"

"Well, according to my book, she was a dragon, and no, she's not mine." Sera smiled. "She's yours. She was your dragon."

"Very funny."

"No, I'm serious!"

"Okay…"

"Astrid, will you _please_ stay, just for a week?"

"Sera… I have a job…"

"But your family is here. Please?" Sera made puppy-dog eyes and Astrid felt her determination waver. Then the dog (Stormfly?) started.

"Fine, I'll stay. Just for a week."

"Yay!" Stormfly howled in happiness.

"But _you_ have to promise not to run away again."

"I promise."

"Now… let's get you home."

Astrid and Sera walked through the woods and back to 47 Fury Lane, where they arrived at the same time Hiccup and Cami did.

"You found her?" Hiccup sighed in relief. "Serafina, I told you not to run off like that."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"Thank you, Astrid," Cami told the blonde. "Can we interest you in a drink?"

"Um… sure."

Inside, Hiccup, Cami, and Astrid each had a glass of wine while Sera drank grape juice. A black can slunk out of the shadows and went up to Astrid, green eyes gleaming as he meowed at her before leaping onto her lap and curling up.

"That's weird," Hiccup told Astrid.

"What?"

"It takes Toothless a while to trust people like that, but you just sat down and he fell asleep on your lap."

"Well, a random dog helped me track down Sera, so I guess I'm just an animal person." Toothless purred.

"I owe you again," Hiccup sighed.

"You don't owe me anything. You already bailed me out of jail."

"Because Hiccup is a nice guy," Cami added, putting her hand over Hiccup's.

For some reason, Astrid _really_ wanted to kick her in the stomach.

"I've gotta go. I need to find a place to stay for the week, especially since my car's being worked on."

"There's the Thorston Inn and Diner," Cami told Astrid. "It's on Main Street."

"Thank you."

Hiccup took Toothless off Astrid's lap and she took her purse before taking Sera's book out of it.

"I believe this is yours," she said.

"Yeah, thanks, Astrid." Sera hugged it to her chest as Astrid waved goodbye to the little family and headed down the street, towards Main Street. She walked into the diner and was greeted by a pair of blondes with long hair. One had it in three braids while the other had it in dreadlocks.

"Hey, how can we help you?" the one with the three braids asked.

"I need a room. I'm staying for a week."

"Ah, of course!" the one with dreadlocks said. "Name?"

"Astrid Hofferson." Both of their eyes widened.

"Wow, Sera actually found you," the one with braids marveled.

"Wait, you _knew_ she was leaving town to find me?"

"Yeah. I'm Ruffnut, and this is my brother, Tuffnut."

"Okay. Can I have my room key?"

"Sure!" Ruffnut handed Astrid a key with a spiky-looking dragon on it.

As soon as it touched Astrid's hand, a warm wind swept through the town.

"What was that?" Tuffnut asked.

"I believe, my dear brother, it was the feeling of a curse beginning to weaken," Ruffnut replied.

"You two actually believe Sera's curse theory?"

"That we do," Tuffnut told Astrid. "Why else would I have lent her my credit card?"

"You gave a _ten-year-old girl_ a _credit card_?"

"To be fair, she was nine when I lent it to her."

"I'll admit, it wasn't our best move," Ruffnut added.

"Hell, no! She could've been killed!"

"Why do you care, unless you're her mother?"

"Because I'm a human being! UGH!" Astrid stomped up to her room.

Outside, for the first time in ten years, the clock hands moved off of 8:15.

* * *

"She's here."

"Huh?" Drago looked up from his paperwork at Hilda.

"Astrid. The Dragon Master's wife. She's here."

" _What?!_ " Drago shot to his feet. "How is that possible?!"

"It's not a problem. With the false memories they have, they don't recognize each other, so they can't work together."

"I hope you're right."

"I will say, though, that time is moving."

"It's… moving?"

"The clock. I felt it from here."

"And you think the Dragon Master's wife is the cause?"

"I know she is. Don't worry, darling. She won't bother us."

"She better not."

"Good night, dear."

Hilda headed upstairs, past her and Drago's bedroom and into the attic. She unlocked the hidden trunk she'd hidden up there and pulled out Astrid's axe.

"You'll remember, Astrid… then we can both kill the bastard who ruined our lives."

She placed it back in the trunk and locked it back.

"I'm sorry you couldn't watch your daughter grow up."

* * *

 **Surprise! Hilda is working against Drago. Her reasons will be revealed later. Also, yes, the twins believe in the curse, which I don't think is much of a shock. It's the twins. Signy is still pregnant, and to her knowledge she has been pregnant for six-and-a-half months, not ten years. Eret is the father.**

 **Next time, Sera tries to start breaking the curse and Astrid wrestles with her growing feelings for Hiccup.**

 **So long and thanks for all the fish!**


	4. The Sanctuary

"Here you go."

Astrid looked up as the dark-haired waitress (Heather, right? Dagur's sister?) set a cup of hot chocolate in front of her. The whipped cream was topped with cinnamon, just the way she liked it, but she was confused as to why it was being given to her.

"Thank you, but I didn't order anything."

"I know. Someone ordered it for you."

Astrid turned in her chair to see the twins and Sera sitting in a booth. All three of them waved at her and she had no choice but to go sit with them.

"Good guess on the cinnamon, guys," she chuckled. "Not a lot of people like it."

"It's me and Daddy's favorite," Sera told Astrid proudly, sipping her own.

"I prefer paprika," Ruffnut scoffed.

"Sprinkles on mine," Tuffnut added.

"Well, thanks anyway," Astrid sighed before turning back to Sera. "Don't you have school?"

"Duh, I'm ten. I wanted you to walk me."

"Okay…"

Heather handed Astrid a to-go cup for her hot cocoa and smiled as the four walked out the door.

"So, I was thinking we could get started trying to break the curse," Sera told the adults as they walked towards Dragon's Edge. "I even have a name for it!"

"Ooh, I like it already!" Tuffnut cackled.

"We'll call it 'Operation Scorpion'!"

"What does that have to do with Vikings or dragons?" Astrid asked.

"Nothing. It's to throw Mayor Bludvist off our trail."

"Brilliant!" Ruffnut gasped.

"Don't you two have work?" Astrid groaned.

"Snotlout and Eret are working today, along with Minden, so we took the day off to help you two plan." Suddenly, Stormfly trotted up to them and started whining for Astrid to pet her.

"Hey, girl!" Sera greeted the bear-dog.

"All we have is a couple of ferrets," sighed Tuffnut. "Barf and Belch."

"But they're actually a two-headed dragon!" Ruffnut reminded him.

"Oh, right!"

"As cute as she is, I can't hold onto her," Astrid told the other three. "I'll take her to a shelter when Sera gets done with school."

"Good idea!"

They'd arrived at Dragon's Edge, where Astrid could see Signy entering the building.

"We can help Miss Larsen first!" chirped Sera. "She deserves happiness, and she's sad a lot!"

"I'm down for helping Signy," Ruffnut agreed.

"We'll start with her, after we take this girl to the shelter," Astrid sighed, rubbing Stormfly's head.

"Bye!"

Sera ran into the building and the twins headed off in a different direction. Astrid walked back towards town, Stormfly staying as close as possible. She decided to head for the beach and take a walk, since there wasn't much to do. She bumped into somebody as she walked, however.

"Oh!" the woman she'd bumped into gasped.

"I'm so sorry!" Astrid apologized, then stared. The woman was beautiful, with long black hair as dark as raven's feathers and eyes the color of amber.

"No, it was entirely my fault," the woman laughed. "My name is Hilda Bludvist. And you are?"

"Astrid Hofferson."

"It's nice to meet you, Astrid."

"Are you the mayor's wife?"

"That I am. I assume you've heard about us from the residents."

"A bit. Hey, do you know where there's an animal shelter in this town?"

"Yes. There's a small mountain outside of town, and the shelter is at the top of it. It's called the Sanctuary.

"Thank you very much, Mrs. Bludvist."

"Please, call me Hilda."

"Well then, thank you, Hilda."

Hilda smiled as Astrid headed back towards the beach.

* * *

"Here we are," Astrid told Sera. Her car had been fixed by the time Sera got out of school, so they were driving up to the shelter. Stormfly was in the backseat, her head hanging out the window as Astrid parked the car. The shelter was a beautiful blue-green building with plenty of room for the various animals they could see playing in the yard. The two entered the shelter, only to see that there was nobody at the desk except a great-horned owl sitting on a perch.

"Does anybody work here?" Sera asked.

"There's a bell." Astrid rang the bell on the desk.

"I'm coming!" a woman's voice called. There was the clatter of several items hitting the floor before a woman with long reddish-brown hair tied back in a braid emerged from the back room. She saw Astrid and Sera standing there and gasped.

"Um, hello?" Astrid said.

"Oh! Hello. What brings you to the Sanctuary?"

"I'm here to drop off this girl right here." Astrid ruffled the fur on Stormfly's head.

"Right." The woman shuffled uncomfortably. "Well, just bring her over here. My name is Val, by the way."

"I'm Astrid, and this is Sera."

"Is your real name Valka?" Sera inquired excitedly.

"Erm… yes."

"Oh my gosh! You're my grandma!"

" _What?!_ " both of the adult women gasped.

"My book says so! It says we were all cursed!" Sera pulled the book out of her backpack. "You're my daddy's mom!"

"You… you know about the curse?"

"Of course! Miss Larsen gave me the book, and it makes too much sense that all of us are from this other reality."

"Um, excuse me?" Astrid piped up.

"You don't believe, do you?" Valka looked down at her feet and sighed. "No, of course you don't."

"You believe the curse theory?"

"N-no. That would be… ridiculous."

"But Grandma—" Sera whined, before being shushed by Valka.

"Sera, could we talk?" Valka looked up at Astrid. "The dog kennel is just through there."

"Oh, sure." Astrid disappeared through the door labeled 'Kennel' and Valka pulled Sera into her office.

"Why won't you tell her the curse is real?" Sera asked.

"Because, Sera, Astrid doesn't remember being your mother, or being married to Hiccup. He and your grandfather don't even know I'm alive."

"So why do _you_ remember?"

"I don't know. I remember waking up here and knowing that there had been a curse. I… I tried to talk to Hiccup, but he didn't remember me." A silent tear rolled down her cheek. "It hurt my heart, but I didn't press the issue."

"But… Astrid…"

"We'll convince her one day, but for now, pretend I don't know about the curse."

"Can I ask you one question, then?"

"Of course."

"Who's the father of Miss Larsen's baby?"

"Miss Larsen?"

"Signy. My aunt."

"Eret."

"Eret? As in the guy who works down at Thorstons?"

"Yes. He and your aunt loved each other very much and… your cousin happened."

"How?"

"That is a conversation you must have with your parents."

"Hey, I've got to take the munchkin home," Astrid said, knocking on the door.

"Of course." Valka let Sera go through, then grabbed Astrid by the shoulder. "I, erm, could use some help up here, if you're looking for work?"

"Hmm…" Astrid thought for a second, then realized…

 _I want to stay here with Hiccup._

 _I want to be Sera's mother._

 _I want to live in Berk._

"Yes. I'll take that job."

"Good. You start on Monday."

"Any special training?"

"None, except the ability to deal with all our animals." The owl landed on her shoulder. "This is Cloudjumper. Beautiful, isn't he?"

"Yeah…"

* * *

 _"Astrid, can you hear me?"_

 _"Afternoon, milady. Where have you been?"_

 _"I love you, Astrid Hofferson, with everything I have."_

 _"Astrid, will you marry me?"_

 _"You're beautiful, smart, strong, and the one person I want to spend the rest of my days with."_

 _"We're having a baby!"_

 _"You're doing great, milady."_

 _"Serafina."_

 _"What better name for a girl raised with dragons?"_

 _"I love you both more than anything."_

 _"There will always be a Hiccup and Astrid, always."_

Astrid woke up, sweating and panting.

Hiccup's voice… it was in her head. In her dreams. It didn't seem like a dream, though… more like a memory.

 _No, that's impossible. I never met him before, and we certainly never got married!_

Still, the facts remained. Hiccup made her heart skip a beat, and she could hear his voice in her head. He was smart, handsome, and kind, and… engaged to another woman. He was unavailable, and he didn't feel the same way. Despite what Sera thought, or what her book said, he and Astrid had never been together.

 _There will always be a Hiccup and Astrid. Always._

* * *

 _"He's never where he's supposed to be."_

 _"Stay out of my way! I'm winning this thing!"_

 _"Be careful."_

 _"Take 'em down, babe!"_

 _"Hiccup, of course I'll marry you."_

 _"I want to spend the rest of my life with you."_

 _"I'm pregnant, Hiccup! We're going to be parents!"_

 _"HICCUP HORRENDOUS HADDOCK THE THIRD, I AM GOING TO_ **GUT** _YOU!"_

 _"Serafina?"_

 _"I love it. Serafina… our Sera."_

 _"I love you, Hiccup."_

Hiccup woke up in his own bed, confused as to why Astrid's voice had been in his dreams.

"Hic, what's wrong?" Cami mumbled sleepily from her side of the bed.

"Nothing. I need some water."

He headed down to the kitchen, where he filled a glass of water and drank it down. He didn't head back to bed, though. Instead, he went into the small library he'd added when Sera turned six, where she'd left her leather-bound book. The one titled _How to Train Your Dragon_.

Hiccup picked up the book and turned on the light, beginning to thumb through it. He could see pictures of his fifteen, eighteen, and twenty-year-old self within the pages and illustrations. Suddenly, he came to a picture of him and a blonde girl who looked a _lot_ like a younger Astrid sitting on a dock of some kind, kissing with the sunset illuminating them. It was… romantic, and a completely beautiful yet _impossible_ moment.

 _Do I… know Astrid?_

He turned several more pages to see him and Astrid standing in front of… Gobber? The owner of the mechanic shop? That wasn't important, though. What was important was the fact that he and Astrid appeared to be in some kind of Viking wedding ceremony.

"This is impossible…"

"What's impossible?"

He jumped at the sound of Sera's voice and turned to see his daughter in the doorway.

"Oh, Sera, you scared me."

"What's impossible, Daddy?"

"This… your book. It says I married Astrid."

"You did… but you don't remember." She shrugged. "It's not your fault."

"It isn't?" She shook her head and took the book, flipping to near the end and landing on an illustration of… Mayor Bludvist and his wife?

"This is Drago Bludvist, a madman who wanted to _ruin_ your life. One of four who tried, and the only one who succeeded. He asked Hilda, a witch, to cast a curse to ruin everything, and she did." Sera's smile faded. "The curse arrived only a few minutes after I was born."

"So… you're saying that according to your book, I'm married to Astrid."

"Yeah, and look at this!" She flipped back several pages and pointed at a picture of a ring. "This is the ring you made for Astrid! She still wears it!"

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah, I'm serious!"

"Sera…" He closed his eyes.

He didn't want to believe the curse theory. It was _ridiculous_ , something the Thorston twins would've come up with. And he wouldn't believe it, not until he got more proof.

"Sera, I think it's been a long day and we both need some sleep."

"I guess."

He closed the book.

"Now, how about I tuck you in, just like I used to?"

* * *

Hilda leaned against the Thorston Inn as she smiled the next morning. She'd let those memories leak through to begin the process of remembering who they were and what they were to each other. Hiccup was a hard sell, but Astrid… Astrid was starting to come around. Hilda had to be careful, though. If Drago caught her, she knew he wouldn't let her live, and that she wouldn't be able to kill him later.

The mayor's wife headed down the street to Nadder Apartments, where Signy lived alone in a loft. She headed up the stairs to the third floor and knocked on the door. Signy opened it, surprised to see the mayor's wife visiting her.

"Good morning, Mrs. Bludvist," she said.

"Please, Signy, it's Hilda. And good morning to you, too. May I come it?"

"Of course." Hilda looked around. The apartment was a little too big for just one person.

"Tell me, Signy. Do you live alone?"

"I do. Well, not for too much longer. Two and a half months to go and my little one will be in the world!"

"How would you like a roommate?"

"A… roommate?"

"Astrid Hofferson is living at the Thorston Inn. I'm sure you don't want her living under the same roof as those two…"

"Imbeciles? No, I don't, but she's only staying for a short while."

"Not from what I heard. I heard that's she's considering moving here."

"Moving… to Berk? From Boston?"

"Yes. Would you be willing to let her live with you?"

"Of course I would! It would be so nice to have someone besides my students and my baby belly to talk to." She sighed. "Most people refer to me as 'town whore' now, since I'm pregnant and have never been married."

"You're not a whore, Signy. You're an adult woman who made a choice."

"Thank you, Hilda."

"I'm going to talk to Astrid now, and let her know that you're interested in housing her."

"Okay. Bye, Hilda!"

"Goodbye, Signy."

* * *

 **IT BEGINS.**

 **So, yes, Hiccup and Astrid are starting to remember each other, but not very well. I think some more of what I made characters is in order. Signy is a mix of Ashley Boyd and Mary Margaret while Hilda is more or less Rumpelstiltskin with a hint of Sydney Glass. Cami is, obviously, Kathryn, while the Thorstons are just kind of… there. Mala and Dagur are not based off anybody in particular, nor is anybody else. I will admit that I sprinkled a tiny hint of Neal into Hiccup's character.**

 **Next time… Operation Scorpion begins!**

 **So long and thanks for all the fish!**


	5. Moving In

"Is this all your stuff?"

Astrid looked up to see Signy's large blue-green eyes staring quizzically at her boxes.

Today, Astrid was moving into Signy's loft apartment. The two had decided to move in together since Signy needed help with various tasks and Astrid was frankly sick and tired of the twins barging into her room at the inn—and she hadn't even been there for a week! As soon as everything had been finalized, Astrid had sent word to her now-ex-landlord in Boston that she would be picking up what few possessions she actually owned. She'd brought them back and Eret, one of the workers at the inn, had offered to help her with the boxes. She'd only brought a few up with her initially, which is what Signy was staring at.

"Where do you want these, Miss Hofferson?" Eret asked as he entered the apartment. Signy turned at the voice and Eret fumbled with the boxes in his arms as soon as he saw her. "Oh, erm, hello!"

"Hi." Signy's voice was unusually shy. "Just put them in the upstairs room."

"I will, Miss, er…"

"Larsen. Signy Larsen."

"Well, Miss Larsen, my name is Eret Eretson."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Eretson."

"Please, if it's all the same to you, just call me Eret."

"I will if you call me Signy."

"Well, we have an agreement then."

Astrid snickered. She'd interacted with Eret a few times at the inn, and he was the type of guy who practically _oozed_ coolness and confidence. He was flirtatious yet uninterested in many of the girls who flirted back, and Ruffnut had complained (on at least four occasions) that he would never show interest in any girl. He always kept his too-cool-to-be-bothered attitude, which put many people off, especially girls who showed interest in him.

Yet the pregnant schoolteacher left him fumbling and unable to find his words.

"Thank you, Eret," Astrid told the inn worker. "I appreciate the help."

"You should be thanking Serafina. She's the one who told me to help you move in."

"Did she, now?" Astrid wasn't surprised.

"Yes. I wonder why she picked me."

"It's a mystery."

She was going to strangle that girl.

"I'm sorry I couldn't help out," Signy said from the chair Eret had insisted she sit in while they unpacked.

"You should be resting," he told her.

"Why? Because I'm seven months pregnant?"

"Precisely."

"It doesn't matter to me! Why should I have to rest just because I'm pregnant?"

"You could hurt the baby if you over-exert yourself. I volunteer in the neonatal ward of the hospital, and I've seen some things happen to babies whose mothers refused to slow down."

"Oh…" Signy's cheeks turned pink. "Well, isn't this fantastic? I'm going to be a mother in two months and I don't know anything about childbirth or being a mother!" Her lower lip was trembling.

To Astrid's shock, Eret grabbed a scrap of paper off the coffee table and wrote down a phone number.

"Here's my number," he told Signy with a smile. "If you ever need a hand, I'm available to help."

"T-Thank you…" Signy reached for the piece of paper and her small, smooth hands touched his large, work-roughened ones. A spark leapt between them, the same kind that had gone through Astrid and Hiccup when Astrid had brought Sera home the first time. Blue-green eyes met amber, neither able to look away. Astrid, like Cami had that first night, cleared her throat and broke the brief spell on the pair. They looked away from each other.

"Well, I should be going," Eret chuckled nervously.

"Have dinner with me!" Signy blurted, her cheeks again turning bright pink.

"What?"

"I… I mean… would you like to have dinner with me? Tonight? Maybe at the diner?"

"I… I would be honored, Signy. Say around seven?"

"Sounds great!"

"Well, then, I will see you tonight." Eret walked out of the apartment and Signy fell back into her chair, kicking her legs as she squealed and covered her face.

"Great job, Sig," Astrid laughed. "You just met the guy and you're already pregnant."

"Did I _seriously_ just ask a guy I just met to dinner?"

"Yes, you did."

"I couldn't help it." Signy stood up and walked over to her bed, where she flopped over dramatically (on her back, of course). "Damn hormones."

"Well, you know what they say about pregnant women and their sex drives—"

Astrid burst out laughing as Signy threw a pillow at her. She was pretty sure she'd never seen anybody blush as deeply as Signy was right now, and Astrid herself was beginning to fall for a taken man. Before she could tease her new roommate further, there was a knock at the door. She opened it and Sera rushed in, a happy smile on her little face.

"Hi, Miss Larsen!" she greeted her teacher.

"Oh, hi, Sera," Signy replied, sitting up. "Thank you for sending Eret our way."

"No problem. I knew you'd like him."

"I do. In fact… we're having dinner tonight." Sera's eyes widened and she squealed, jumping up and down.

"YAY! Now if only I could get Daddy to ask out Astrid—"

"And no more sugar for you," Astrid interrupted. "Sera, your dad is _engaged_. He's not going to ask me out because he already _has_ somebody."

"I know you want your parents back together," Signy added, walking over and putting a gentle hand on Sera's shoulder, "but it's not going to happen. Your father has Cami now, and they love each other."

"NO, THEY DON'T!" Sera yelled, wrenching away. "IT'S THE STUPID CURSE!"

"What curse?" Signy asked, tilting her head.

"Oh… I didn't tell you." Sera's voice was quieter now, more apologetic. She reached into her backpack and pulled out her book. Signy went over to the couch, where Sera sat next to her and opened the book.

Astrid took the opportunity to head out and grab some lunch.

* * *

"Astrid!"

The blonde turned around at the sound of her name. Fishlegs was waving at her, a worried look on his face.

"What is it, Fishlegs?"

"I need to talk to you about Sera."

"What about her?"

"She's mentioned the curse theory to you, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Well… you seem like a reasonable person, so I have a simple request to make of you. Play along."

"You want me to play along with the curse theory?"

"Yes. You see, Sera has been having some difficulty adjusting to Cami now being a permanent fixture in her life, and I believe the curse theory is her way of coping with this new reality. If we play along, she may adjust better and she'll grow out of it."

"That… that's not a bad idea… but what about the Thorston twins?"

"They're…. well, frankly, they're the town idiots. Most people take what they say with a grain of salt."

"Ah. Well, I'll try your suggestion."

"Thank you, Astrid… and… I was wondering if you'd be willing to undergo a DNA test?"

"What?!"

"It's nothing major!" He waved his hands defensively. "I just want to clear up whether or not you're _actually_ Sera's mother!"

"What do I need to give you?"

"Just something like your spit or some hair—something we can test."

"All right, then."

"We'll go to the hospital tomorrow and test your DNA against Sera's. I might test Hiccup's, too, just to be safe."

"What, you don't think he's actually Sera's dad?"

"I'm ninety-nine percent sure that he's Sera's father, but given that neither of you remember each other, something's rotten in the state of Maine."

"Thanks, Fishlegs. I can pay for it—"

"No, no! Doctor Gothi owes me a favor, so she'll be happy to run the test."

"I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Tomorrow!"

* * *

 _Breathe._

Signy took a deep breath as she entered the Thorston Diner, dressed in a maternity dress that hid her baby belly pretty well. She looked around and spotted Eret in a booth by one of the windows. Breathing a sigh of relief that he'd actually shown, Signy made her way over to the booth and sat down across from him. He gave her a gentle smile.

"Hello, Signy," he greeted her.

"Hi, Eret."

 _God, he's attractive._

"I'm a bit relieved that you actually showed up," she said.

"Why wouldn't I? You're a charming young lady and you have a kind heart."

"Yeah, well, it hasn't stopped guys from bailing on me before."

"Who?"

"It's not important. L-let's forget about my lack of social skills and just enjoy dinner."

"Right." From the tone of Eret's voice, she knew he wasn't letting it go, but he dropped the subject for now.

"What can I get you two?" asked Heather.

"Can I get a burger with the works?" Eret inquired. "Oh, and a side of fries with a root beer."

"You got it. And you, Sig?"

"I'd like spaghetti with a sundae and hot sauce. Oh, and a root beer float with caramel sauce."

"It'll be right out."

Signy felt like crawling into a hole when Eret gave her a look upon hearing her order.

"I'm sorry. I thought the cravings would be gone by now!"

"Oh, no, there's nothing wrong with your order! It's just a little odd."

"Thank you, but you don't need to pretend to be nice to me."

"Why would I do that?"

"It's… not really a topic for a first date."

"Ah."

He noticed Phlegma giving Signy a judgmental look across the restaurant. It was the kind of look people gave those they thought very lowly of, and he realized several others were giving her that same look. Eret reached across the table and gently squeezed Signy's hand.

"Ignore it. I'm here because I feel something for you, not because of your reputation or your appearance." Signy's jaw dropped a bit, but she shut it quickly and returned Eret's squeeze.

"I… I feel something, too."

"Good. It's mutual, then."

Once they finished eating, Eret insisted on paying for dinner despite Signy's protests and they headed back towards Signy's loft. He held her hand the entire time and she couldn't stop blushing. Suddenly, she gasped and put a hand on her belly.

"What's wrong?" Eret asked.

"I… I just felt the baby kick!" Her eyes were lit up like a fireworks show on the Fourth of July as she looked at her belly.

"May I?"

"Of course!"

Eret rested a hand on Signy's belly and waited. He felt a sharp tap against his palm and his heart swelled with an unfamiliar feeling. Pride? Love? Whatever it was, he knew that he wasn't going to be leaving Signy anytime soon.

* * *

"Did anything interesting happen today, Sera?"

Sera looked up from her dinner at Cami and her father, who were both looking at her. She'd been quiet, thinking about what she'd do next for Operation Scorpion. Eret and Signy seemed to be getting along rather well, which gave her hope for her plan, but she couldn't tell her father or future stepmother that—particularly if Astrid was involved.

"Well, Miss Larsen went on a date with Eret from the Thorston Inn."

"Did she, now?" mumbled Cami. Hiccup gave his fiancée a look. He knew Cami was one of the people in town who looked down on Signy for getting pregnant out of wedlock and not knowing who her child's father was, but he chose to ignore it for now.

"Yeah! Astrid said she thinks he has a crush on Miss Larsen, and Miss Larsen likes him back!"

"Good for them!" Hiccup agreed.

"And Astrid moved in with Miss Larsen! Oh, and Daddy, Dr. Ingerman says he needs us to go to the hospital tomorrow."

"Okay, we will."

Sera glanced back down at her plate and finished the last of her pork chops.

"May I be excused now, Daddy?"

"Put your plate in the dishwasher before you go in your room, okay, Princess?"

"Okay!"

Sera put up her plate and ran upstairs to her room, where she sat on her bed and took a good look at a picture of Hiccup and Astrid in her book. In the picture, they were sitting on dragon-back, both looking happy to be together and free. That's what Sera wanted out of Operation Scorpion: for everyone to be happy and free together.

Suddenly, a piece of paper fell out of the book and she picked it up. A note was written on the paper and a key was taped to it.

 _Serafina,_

 _I know you want to break the curse on this town. I can help you, but you must meet me at the library tomorrow._ _And, yes, the library is closed, but this key will let you in. Come tomorrow around three o'clock. I'll be waiting in Study Room 5._

 _-A Friend._

Sera smiled. Somebody believed her. Somebody wanted to help, without being asked, and it wasn't one of the Thorstons.

She was going to get on the right track.

* * *

 **And boom.**

 **Next time, truths are confirmed, uneasy alliances are formed, and cracks in the curse are widened.**

 **So long and thanks for all the fish!**


	6. Cracks Widen, Alliances Form

"So what is this about?"

Fishlegs looked up at Hiccup from his conversation with Dr. Gothi. Sera was right next to her father, looking just as confused.

"Well, I wanted to test Sera's little theory that Astrid is her birth mother. In order to do that, I need to test DNA from all three of you to be sure."

"Good idea."

"I'll see you later, Fishlegs," Astrid's voice said from behind them. Hiccup turned to see her and his heart pounded.

 _Stop it, Hiccup! You are engaged!_

"Thank you for doing this, Astrid," Fishlegs told the blonde.

"You're welcome. I need to go help Signy with baby shopping. She doesn't like driving and designated me as her ride."

"Tell her to take it easy."

"How about _you_ do that and deal with her stubbornness?"

"Fair. Bye, Astrid!"

Astrid exited the hospital, Hiccup finding himself unable to stop watching her. He was only snapped out of it when Sera tugged on his sleeve.

"Fishlegs needs our DNA, Daddy," she said.

"Oh! Yeah, right! Right!"

"You were staring at Astrid."

"No, I wasn't!"

"Yes, you were!" Sera's eyes were sparkling. "You _love_ her!"

"No, Sera!" Hiccup knelt so that they were at eye-level. "Astrid is a very pretty woman, but I am with Cami right now. I can't be in love with her."

Sera made a face that said she didn't believe him just before Fishlegs called them over.

* * *

Sera stood in front of the Berk Public Library, the note and key from the night before in her hand. She tried the key in the lock, turning it effortlessly and entering the long-closed building. The ten-year-old walked through the strangely-clean rooms. There wasn't a speck of dust on the shelves—odd, considering it hadn't been occupied in a decade. It was eerie to her.

"You actually came."

Sera jumped, whirling around to see…

 _Hilda Bludvist?!_

"Mrs. Bludvist! What are you doing here?!"

"I see you received my note."

" _Your_ note?"

"Yes. I needed to talk to you somewhere where my husband won't find us."

"So there _is_ a curse?"

"Yes. I cast it, at the request of Drago."

"Why do you want to help me break the curse?"

"Because, Sera, it's not fair that your family was torn apart. I'm sorry that it had to happen." Hilda pulled out a chair from an old study table and motioned for Sera to sit. Sera did.

"So, why did you do it?"

"I have a history with Drago. I can't go into it right now but know that I want him gone as much as anybody else." The black-haired woman sighed. "Unfortunately, I don't have as much freedom as you. Anything I do is closely watched by him. You have to help me break the curse."

"How?"

"I don't know. Despite the fact that I created the curse, I have no idea how to break it. We could start by giving people back their memories."

"Like Aunt Signy?"

"Yes, like Signy. You've already done a good job of reuniting her with her lover."

"So I'm on the right track."

"Your parents are going to be a hard sell, Sera. You have to do your best to help them."

"Okay."

"Will you work with me?"

"Yes." Sera extended a hand. "Welcome to Operation Scorpion."

"Thank you." Hilda shook Sera's hand. "I'll send a note to your book when it's time to meet again."

"Okay."

* * *

The phone rang loudly, startling Hiccup from his thoughts. He almost fell out of his chair before he steadied himself and picked it up. Toothless gave him a look of annoyance before falling back asleep. Hiccup rolled his eyes.

"Hello?" he asked.

" _Hey, Hiccup, it's Fishlegs. We just got the results of the DNA test back from the lab._ "

"That quickly?"

" _Yeah. Gothi's the best doctor around. Anyway, it appears… Sera was right._ "

"W-wait, what do you mean, 'Sera was right'?"

" _The results—Sera is a match with both you and Astrid. Astrid is your daughter's birth mother._ "

"Holy crap." Hiccup leaned back.

" _I know it's odd, but what really baffles me is the fact that you and Astrid don't recognize each other._ " Hiccup looked over his shoulder and noticed Sera's book on the table. She'd left it there earlier when she'd gone into town.

"I'll… I'll call you back, Fishlegs. I need to look into something."

" _Not a problem. I need to tell Astrid, anyway._ "

"Okay. Bye."

Hiccup hung up and picked up Sera's book, quickly flipping to the picture of the wedding.

 _There might be some merit to the curse theory. God… if it's true, then I'm cheating on Astrid with Cami._

That was a terrifying thought to him.

* * *

"Oh my God."

"What's wrong?" Eret asked Astrid. He'd come over at the end of his shift (uninvited) and offered to help prep for the baby. Currently, he was putting together a crib.

"That was… that was Dr. Ingerman."

"With the results of the DNA test?" Signy inquired from where she was folding baby clothes.

"Yeah. It turns out… I'm Sera's birth mother."

"Oh, God." Eret raised an eyebrow but went back to the task at hand. Astrid put down her screwdriver.

"It's so _weird_ to finally hear it out loud and have it confirmed."

"Well, that means you have a really good reason to stay—to be near your daughter."

"True. I'm going to try and make up for lost time." Eret set down his screwdriver.

"Astrid, would you mind helping me turn the crib over? It's finished." They turned it so it was right-side up.

"Aw! It's perfect!" Signy clapped her hands.

"You're welcome, Signy."

"You really didn't have to help."

"Well, it's my job." Eret tipped an imaginary hat to her. "And, if you're interested, it's also my job to take you to a movie."

"Oh… I can't. I have papers to grade."

"How about a movie here, then?"

"I can clear out for the night," Astrid offered.

"You guys are too nice to me!"

"You deserve it."

* * *

 **Short chapter today. The cracks in the curse are beginning to widen due to Sera's efforts, Hiccup and Astrid realize they have a past that they don't remember, and Hilda begins to unveil herself to Sera.**

 **Next time: Drago sends thugs after Astrid.**

 **So long and thanks for all the fish!**


	7. Birth and Awakening

Drago was at his wit's end with Astrid Hofferson. Despite Hilda's assurances that the girl would be gone in a few days, she was still in Berk after almost three months! He'd heard that she not only had a place to live, but that she also had a job with Valka at the shelter. It made him sick to know that the troublemaker was still there, in a perfect place to ruin his plans. What made it worse was that he knew he couldn't dispose of her himself. She had too many friends who would come after him—worse, he'd become an outcast for murdering an innocent woman. The only solution would be to hire some thugs to take care of her, something that could be described as a random act of violence by Mala.

His hands would be clean.

"…are you sure, sir?" Krogan inquired.

"She's dangerous. I've heard things about her—a criminal record that would make _you_ look innocent. She was a gangster in Boston, a top member until she quit to come here. I have no doubt she intends to burn our town to the ground."

"Okay. We'll take care of her." Krogan pulled out his phone and took the animal shelter number from Drago.

"Make sure it's where nobody will see."

" _Hello?_ " Astrid asked on her end.

"Um, hello, miss. I'm calling to report a stray animal in the woods. I can't get close because of my allergies."

" _Okay, where in the woods?_ "

"Half a mile from the town line, about five hundred yards into the woods on the right-hand side."

" _Okay. I'll be out there in twenty minutes. Stay put._ "

 _Click._

* * *

If there was one person in Berk that Signy knew nobody trusted, it was Mayor Bludvist.

He was the kind of man who fed off the fear and intimidation he caused just by walking down the street. Everybody avoided his office at all costs, particularly the small-time criminals that tended to wander the streets. They wanted to avoid getting pulled into his world of intimidation and blackmail, where they were more likely to be tossed in jail permanently. That was the way things were. Signy knew the likes of Krogan, Ryker, and Viggo were dangerous as well, hence why she avoided them. In fact, there was a dim memory in her mind of a time when she'd been held captive by Ryker and he'd cut her throat. She'd been narrowly saved by Hiccup and Snotlout, who had rushed her to Dr. Gothi in time to save her life.

So she was surprised when she saw Krogan walk out of Drago's office.

"What did he want?" she heard Viggo whisper. She pressed herself against the wall and listened in, ignoring the pain in her belly.

"He wants us to take care of Miss Hofferson so she isn't a problem for our town."

"Define 'take care of'," Ryker chuckled.

"I already made a call, luring her into the woods. She'll be half a mile away from the town line, five-hundred yards in on the right-hand side. She'll be there in fifteen minutes and you two will stand guard. I'll tie her to a tree and use a knife."

 _Dammit! They're going to kill Astrid!_

Signy headed off to where her car was. She hadn't driven it since her second trimester out of fear of something happening, but Eret used it on a daily basis to drive her to work. The pregnant woman opened her trunk and found the bat she'd stashed there in case of an emergency. She made it a point to keep a bat under her bed at the loft, too, just in case. She ran back into the loft and grabbed her keys off the counter.

 _Okay, Signy. You have to save your roommate. There's not enough time to get Mala out there._

Signy ran to her car and sped to about five hundred yards away from where she'd heard Krogan say they'd meet Astrid. She got out and crept into the woods, being careful to avoid the Grimborns as she did. She could see Krogan standing over a bound Astrid, who was struggling against the tree as he raised the knife to plunge it into the blonde's heart. Astrid squeezed her eyes shut and Signy raised the bat.

 _CRACK!_

Krogan slumped onto the ground, the knife falling from his hand. Signy picked it up and cut the ropes holding Astrid.

"What the—Signy?!"

"Shut up and let's go! Viggo and Ryker will be here any minute!"

The two went through the woods as quickly as possible and to Signy's car. Just before they got in, Signy let out a yelp of pain and clutched her belly, leaning against the car so she wouldn't fall over.

"Sig, are you okay?!"

"I… the baby's just kicking extra-hard!"

"How long?"

"It's been on and off—" Signy gasped. "I'm in labor. Oh, God, I'm in labor!"

"Get in the car!"

Astrid started driving like a madwoman towards the hospital. Signy took out her phone and dialed Eret's number.

* * *

 _Ring, ring!_

Eret grabbed his phone and saw that it was Signy calling. He went into the back room and hit answer.

"Hey, Angel!"

" _Eret!_ " Her voice sounded pained, and it sounded like she was in a car.

"What's wrong?!"

" _I-I'm in labor, and Astrid's taking me to the hospital! Could you grab my bag from the loft and meet us there?!_ "

"No problem! I love you!"

" _I love you, too!_ "

Eret hung up and ran back into the main room before grabbing his coat from behind the counter.

"Hey, where are you going?!" yelled Ruffnut.

"Hospital!" he yelled back, dashing to Signy's apartment. He found her bag without a problem and hopped on the motorcycle he'd stopped riding when he started dating Signy. Within minutes, he'd arrived at the hospital. Signy's dark-blue minivan pulled up a few seconds later at the ER entrance, and he ran up to it just as Astrid got out of the driver's seat. Several ER workers came out and put Signy on a gurney.

"Stay with her!" Astrid barked as she got back in the car to go park.

Eret didn't need to be told twice.

"You can't be in the delivery room, sir!" a nurse said, blocking his path.

"But I'm the father!" he lied. Strangely, it didn't _feel_ like a lie.

"Okay, then you have to scrub up if you're her support."

He did as asked.

* * *

" _Mom, where are you?_ "

"I'm at the hospital, Sera."

" _Why?_ "

"Because Signy went into labor, sweetie. She's having her baby!"

" _YAY! I'll tell Daddy!_ " Astrid heard her on the other side of the line. " _Daddy! Miss Larsen went into labor!_ " Sera returned to the conversation. " _Daddy says we're coming to the hospital!_ "

"I'll see you then!"

Within fifteen minutes, Hiccup and Sera had arrived. Sera had proudly told Astrid that Cami had been called into work at the last minute and wasn't able to come. Hiccup had glanced at Astrid awkwardly and sat down in the waiting room. Before Astrid could ask a nurse how Signy was doing, Eret walked into the waiting room, rubbing his hand as if part of his circulation had been cut off.

"It's a girl," he sighed in relief. "I am _never_ going to unsee what I just saw."

"How's Sig?" Astrid asked.

"Asleep. She was exhausted."

A memory suddenly came to Astrid's mind—a memory of being in a hospital, giving birth… with Hiccup and Signy by her side. Dr. Gothi, a blonde woman she recognized as her mother, and Valka were there, too. She realized it was the memory of giving birth to Sera.

 _I've been having a lot of these flashes, ever since that first night here…_

She didn't know that Hiccup had a similar situation.

It wasn't long before they were allowed to see Signy. She was sitting up in her hospital bed, holding a dark-haired baby swaddled in a pale blue blanket with a magenta stripe. The baby had her eyes closed, clearly asleep, and Signy was looking at her with nothing short of adoration.

"Isn't she beautiful?" the teacher whispered.

"Her face looks a little scrunchy," Sera commented before Astrid covered her mouth. Signy laughed.

"All babies look like that when they're first born," she explained to her student. "It takes a while for them to become the cute babies we all think of."

"I bet I was cute right out of the gate! Right, Daddy?"

"Yep, you were." He ruffled his daughter's hair.

"What's her name?" Astrid inquired.

"Lily Anne Larsen. I picked it out a while back." Lily blinked her eyes open and stared around the room, unfocused. "Hi, Lily. This is your family."

"Yep! She's my cousin!" Sera declared. "Can I hold her?"

"If it's okay with your mom and dad."

"Fine with me," both of Sera's parents said at the same time. Signy showed the ten-year-old how to hold a baby properly, and Sera smiled down at the infant.

"Hi, Lily! I'm Serafina, but everybody calls me Sera…"

A feeling twisted in Astrid's gut. She'd never gotten to hold Sera like that. Something had torn their family apart, and torn her away from them. She'd missed all of Sera's milestones—first steps, first words, first loose tooth, first day of school… and she felt sick thinking about it. She had no right to call herself a parent in any sense of the word. Not like Hiccup or Signy. And from what she'd heard from the twins, Hiccup had started dating Cami when Sera was about two, meaning that she had more of a right to be Sera's mom than Astrid did.

Whatever had torn them apart was cruel and unfeeling.

Maybe if they hadn't been separated, Astrid and Hiccup would've had more kids, and Sera would've held her own sibling like that. Maybe Cami would've been Astrid's friend. Maybe Sera wouldn't be so insistent on a curse—

 _The curse._

"I'm going home," she told the others.

"Have a nice night!" Signy chirped.

"I'll try."

Astrid headed out and drove Signy's minivan back to the loft. She then called Snotlout to take her out to her car at the edge of town. She opened it and watched him drive away before getting in. The blonde leaned back in her seat and let tears fall down her face. It was real. It was all real. She'd had a relationship with Hiccup and had Sera, and they'd been separated. Hiccup was in love with somebody else and there was nothing she could do about it. Her eyes landed on the ring that was on her left hand. She'd had it for so long and yet she had no clue where it had come from. She yanked it off her hand and turned on her car light. Astrid could make out an engraving on the inside of the band.

 _Milady, I'm yours forever. HHH III_

A signature was on the band as well—an H followed by three lines.

 _Hiccup Horrendous Haddock the Third._

 _HHH III._

This was an engagement ring. She and Hiccup had at _least_ been engaged.

Before she could wrap her head around everything, there was a loud _thump_ in the trunk. Astrid got out of the car and opened it to see two packages—one was long and about half as wide as it was long, and the other was a simple rectangle. She chose to open the smaller package and found… Sera's book?

The second her fingers touched the leather, memories flashed through her head. Memories of flying on dragonback, of being with Hiccup, of fighting bad guys, of everything from her life before. She gasped and stumbled backwards, landing on her ass on the grassy part of the side of the road. Her heart was pounding and her head was screaming with the memories.

The curse was real.

 _The curse was real._

Shakily, Astrid stood up and steadied herself by leaning against the car. Panting, she opened the book and really looked at the pages.

 _Hilda cast the curse. She did it at Drago's request. Drago wanted to beat Hiccup._

 _He ripped us apart._

She slammed the book onto the seat and headed back to the trunk, back to the long package. Astrid opened it to find an old familiar friend—her axe—and a note.

 _Thought you might need this. I've had it the entire time you've been gone. Now, go get your family back._

 _-A Friend._

* * *

 **WHOOOOOOO!**

 **So close to the end of this arc! I'm sorry if it's moving too fast. The big time-skip was necessary in order to get here.**

 **Next time…**

 **Well, next time, a curse is broken.**

 **So long and thanks for all the fish!**


	8. The Curse Shatters

"It's real."

" _What?_ "

"Sera, you were right. The curse is real. I got my memories back last night."

" _Oh, come on!_ "

"What? Isn't this what we wanted?" Astrid stopped pacing in confusion.

" _Yes, but I wanted this much earlier! Today… today…_ "

"What's important about today?"

" _Daddy's marrying Cami today, at two o'clock._ "

"NO!"

" _Yep. So unless you want to lose Daddy, I think you'd better get down to the church._ "

"Thank you for telling me, Sera. And you'd better not _ever_ speak to me that way again until you're in high school."

" _Noted. Good luck, Mom!_ "

"Thanks, baby." Astrid hung up the phone and pulled her axe back out of the box. She spotted a familiar looking sword handle in the bottom of the box.

 _Inferno._

Astrid took the handle and put it in the backpack she'd borrowed from Signy when she'd gone on maternity leave. It was just big enough to fit the axe and the leather-bound book as well, thankfully, and Astrid ran out of the loft and down the road towards the church. She could see people already arriving and going inside, so her normal tactic of brute-forcing it wasn't an option. As quickly and quietly as she could, she slipped around the back of the church and crept through the back door. Once she was through, she snuck around until she heard Hiccup and Fishlegs talking.

"…sure."

"Hiccup, you've been with Cami for eight years. You honestly think she's not the one?"

"Like I said, I'm not sure."

"I'm pretty sure it's just cold feet."

"Thanks, Fish, but could you… leave me alone? I need to think."

"Sure." Astrid waited until she was sure Fishlegs was gone, then went to the door. She inhaled and tried the knob. Upon it turning, she entered the room and closed the door behind her.

"A-Astrid?!" Hiccup yelped. She faced him for the first time since regaining her memory and her heart did the funny little flip-flops she remembered from back before the curse, the ones that happened whenever they'd been separated for more than a couple days. "What are you doing here?"

She couldn't find an explanation that didn't sound insane.

"Hiccup… I can't explain it without sounding _completely_ crazy, but… has Sera mentioned her curse theory to you?"

"Yeah, she has…"

"It's not a theory. It's real." He gave her an odd look. "Last night… I remembered something. I remembered giving birth to Sera, and I remembered you being there. I ended up taking off my ring, and your signature was on it." She twisted off the ring and showed him what she'd found. He raised his eyebrows. "There was also a noise in my trunk and I found a copy of Sera's book there. When I touched it, I remembered _everything_. It sounds insane, I know, but we were _married_. Everything in Sera's book actually happened."

"Astrid, I _want_ to believe you, but…"

"It's just too hard to believe." She stared up at him and squeezed her eyes shut. "That doesn't change the fact that I have these memories, and it sure as Hel doesn't change how I feel."

It was now or never.

 _Hope this works._

Astrid pulled Hiccup down so they were face to face and pressed her lips against his. He was surprised at first but quickly accepted the action. A warm breeze swept through the town as the curse shattered, returning memories to everyone. They broke apart and Astrid was sure it hadn't worked.

"I-I'm sorry, I'll just—"

Hiccup wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in for another kiss.

"You're not getting away that easily, milady."

"You—"

"Remember? Hel, yeah, I do."

"HICCUP!" they heard Fishlegs yell outside, as they realized he was running towards them. The door flew open to reveal the blonde man, panting. "Hiccup, you can't marry Cami! You're already married…" His voice trailed off as he saw Astrid. "…to Astrid…"

"Yeah, Fish. I remember."

"Astrid, I…"

"It's fine, Fishlegs. We have a bigger problem right now. Drago."

"Damn! I don't have Inferno!" Hiccup grumbled. Astrid reached into her bag and handed him his weapon.

"The friend who gave me the book also left these." She pulled out her axe. Hiccup smiled.

"Have I mentioned I love you lately?"

"We have ten years of that to make up for, Dragon Boy."

* * *

"HILDA!"

The raven-haired woman whirled around to face Drago, who was glaring at her with fear and anger in his expression. She smiled calmly.

"What just happened?!"

"I believe, dear Drago, that somebody just broke the curse."

" _How_?!"

"True love's kiss. It's an old but _fun_ cliché, isn't it?"

"You… you planned this?! But why?!"

"Do you remember that night you burned down the chief's hall when they refused to bow to you? How you _destroyed_ the island?" Drago looked confused. "That was _my home_. You killed my entire family, my village, my tribe. I survived and vowed revenge. I helped you in hopes of weakening you, and it worked."

"Hilda, I…"

"No, Drago. It's too late. The curse has been broken and we're going to have _dozens_ of angry townspeople rampaging here to kill _you_. _You_ ripped their families and homes apart, and now it's time to pay the Piper." She snapped her fingers and he was bound by invisible chains. "I will admit I'm disappointed that I don't get to help."

"Hilda, don't do this!"

"You dug your grave long ago!"

"Hilda!"

"Yes?"

"Please, I can change! I-I can be a better man!"

"Bullshit. You can't become a better man. You have evil in your heart, and you have brought _more_ evil into the world through your actions." Her amber eyes flashed with malice. "You deserve everything that's coming to you."

Before either of them could say anything else, there was angry cries and furious clamor outside. The door opened (the Thorstons were always good at picking locks) and the townspeople rushed in. They stared in confusion at Hilda and Drago, who stared right back.

"She cast the curse!" Tuffnut yelled.

"Get her!" Ruffnut agreed.

"WAIT!" Sera pushed to the front of the crowd. "Hilda has been trying to break the curse!"

"How do you know?"

"Because she's the one who gave me the book that led me to Astrid!"

There was silence.

" _You_?" Astrid gasped.

"Yes. I put the book and axe in your trunk, too."

"Let me go!" demanded Drago. Everyone glared at him with pure hatred.

"He needs to be dealt with," declared Hiccup, stepping forward.

Drago was moved to the jail while everyone prepared his trial. Hiccup, however, realized that he had yet to reunite with his mother and sister, so he decided to do that. He got Valka's number from Astrid and asked her to meet him at the hospital. Upon his arrival, he was greeted by Eret, who was breathless and happy.

"Hiccup!" he said. "It's good to see you!"

"Hey, Eret. Is Signy awake?"

"Yep! She's just holding Lily right now."

Something suddenly clicked in Hiccup's head.

"Hey, Eret? Were you and Signy… together… before the curse?"

"Yes… we were. She was pregnant before the curse, too, so Lily should actually be around Sera's age."

"Weird. Anyway, take care of my sister and my niece."

"Can do, Chief."

"I'm not chief anymore."

"Once a chief, always a chief."

"Well, at least you can move in with Sig now. I mean, if Astrid moves out."

"Good idea. I'll run it by the Boss."

"Hiccup!" Valka came rushing in. "The curse—it's really broken?!"

"It's broken, Mom." She breathed a sigh of relief and hugged her son.

"Good."

"Do you want to meet your second grandchild?"

"Of course I do!"

Valka and Hiccup entered Signy's hospital room, where Lily was making baby noises in her mother's arms. Signy looked up and looked ready to scream at the top of her lungs in joy. She refrained due to the fact that she was A, in a hospital, and B, holding a baby.

"Mom! Hiccup!"

"Is this your baby?"

"No, Mom. She belongs to the other lady who gave birth in Berk yesterday."

"I have missed the sarcasm…"

"How have you been, Mom?"

"I've been fine. A little lonely, up at the shelter, but I've been fine. I'm just happy that the curse is broken and I can be with my children again. And grandchildren."

"Can we catch up later?" Hiccup asked. "I, er, need to catch up… with Astrid."

"Uh-huh," Signy said, nodding and giving her brother a smirk. "Go ahead and _catch up_. I'm being released this afternoon, anyway."

"Thanks!" Hiccup ran out of the hospital.

* * *

It seemed like Berk was going to have the happy endings that everyone wanted. Families had been reunited, the curse had been broken, and Drago was set to be punished by death (they'd chosen to drown him; don't ask). Even though Hilda had made it clear they could never return to the world they'd left, none of them really minded. They liked the new world they were in, except for the fact that their dragons were now house-pets.

Unfortunately, with every sunny day comes a dark cloud.

Unseen, a figure from the Archipelago's past was watching. He was angry—angry that the curse had been broken, angry at Hilda for being manipulative, angry at Hiccup for being Hiccup, and angry at everyone else for getting their happy endings. He knew magic, too, and wanted nothing more than to crush everyone's hopes of things getting better. He was…

Trader Johann.

* * *

 **BOOM DONE.**

 **The first arc of this story is now over and we proceed to the next one. Trader Johann is back and knows magic. The reasons will be explained later. I hope you all enjoyed the first arc and check back right here for the second!**

 **Oh, and to the person who asked about the fish—it's just my signoff. It's been my signoff since 2015 and I'm still pleased with it. If you're curious, check out** _ **The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy**_ **. It's a fantastic book and movie.**

 **So long and thanks for all the fish!**


	9. New Normal (Season 2)

**And now I bring you season 2 of "Dragons and Vikings are Real".**

 **Ooh, boy.**

* * *

It had been two weeks since the curse had broken and Berk was somewhat returning to normal. Hilda had informed everyone in a town meeting that she was, unfortunately, unable to return them to their own time, or restore the dragons. The second point was disappointing, but nobody really had a problem with staying where they were. After all, this _new_ Berk was much more advanced and they liked all the new technology from the last _thousand_ years (Hiccup had nearly cried when he found out how long it had been).

Astrid, meanwhile, had switched careers at the insistence of _literally everyone_. She had begun training as a police officer under Mala, who had rekindled her relationship with Dagur. As for Signy and Eret, well, they'd moved in together and were now raising Lily as a unit. Ruffnut had briefly commented on how well the two got along before challenging her brother to a drinking contest at the party to celebrate the curse breaking.

Out of everyone, though, Sera's life had changed the most.

For ten years, she'd tried to figure out who she was. She had her father, yes, but there was something missing. Hiccup had tried to use Cami to fill that void and Sera had tried her best to see Cami as a mother. It had never worked, and she'd been so isolated from everyone else in town.

Hilda had sent the book and fixed it.

There were still worries at the back of Sera's mind. For one thing, many of her father's old enemies—Viggo, Ryker, Krogan, and Trader Johann—were now living among them. However, Viggo was more than content to live peacefully in town. She didn't know about Ryker or Krogan, but Trader Johann was still just running his shop and telling stories.

Things actually couldn't have been better.

* * *

"Hilda's a fool."

Johann stared into the mirror he'd enchanted shortly after arriving in the present. It was meant to show him things, and he'd retained his memory thanks to his own use of magic. He wasn't too powerful, though—especially not when compared to Hilda. He gritted his teeth at the thought of her name.

"She had all the power in the world to take over this place, to kill Drago—and what does she do? She _stays_ here as an advisor… to _Hiccup_ , of all people."

If _he_ had her power, he would have brought Drago to his knees long ago. He'd have taken over the town and disposed of Miss Astrid before she even had a _chance_ to try and break the curse. Nobody would have cared except for little Serafina, and maybe that dragon-dog, but it would have been done. No way for the bubble to be burst and everyone to remember what he'd tried to do.

He wasn't upset that Drago was gone, either. He was glad for it, actually; he didn't like Drago any more than anybody else in Berk. No, the problem was that it had taken so long. Thirty years—give or take a thousand—for the village to be avenged. Johann's home had been burned to the ground, but now Drago had been drowned in the sea and given a burial on the shore.

"Show me Hilda," he ordered the mirror. The dark-haired woman appeared on the mirror's surface, talking to Serafina. He gripped the table next to him, furious.

 _How can she be so kind?_

She'd suffered as much as he had, these past thirty-give-or-take-a-thousand years. The memory of the village burning to the ground, of people being slaughtered left and right, of his mother being gored by some species of dragon he didn't recognize—all of it was still fresh in his mind. It was why he'd sworn revenge at the tender age of eleven, leaving the island and becoming a trader to learn about dragons.

He doubted that she remembered him, anyway—he'd left her all alone in the heat of what had happened and by the time he'd gone back, the island was completely deserted. At the time, he'd assumed Hilda had died somewhere, or tried to swim off the island. After briefly mourning her, he'd become more focused in his quest to control all dragons and kill Drago. For nearly twenty years, he'd searched, then he'd died because of the Bewilderbeast.

Then, suddenly, he'd woken up in a strange building full of knick-knacks and things. He'd quickly enchanted the mirror on the wall to try and figure out what had happened, which was how he knew about the damned curse in the first place. He hadn't been surprised that Drago was involved, or that it was for revenge on Hiccup Haddock. No, that was all par for the course.

The shock had been that Hilda was alive.

She'd escaped the island somehow and was alive.

His joy had been brief, though, once he realized that she was working with Drago. The man who had ruined their lives was being allowed to be her husband, and to control the entire town. He couldn't believe any of it was real, much less that Astrid Hofferson had been ripped away from her newborn baby girl and her own husband. But now everything had changed _again_. Astrid had broken the curse and he was no longer the only one with memories. Most of the townspeople had foul memories of him in his final days, back when he'd been after the Bewilderbeast egg, back when his goal had been to kill Hiccup and his Dragon Riders.

And he would have his vengeance.

* * *

Toothless let out an indignant hiss and Hiccup sighed.

"Yeah, bud, I know it sucks. But we have Astrid back now. And I'm not letting her go."

He thought back to the past ten years, where he'd been cursed and dating _Camicazi Boggs_ , of all people—a girl he'd known as a child and who he hadn't _exactly_ gotten along with back then. But she and Astrid were similar in personality when it came to being headstrong and stubborn, and that was where their similarities ended. Astrid was Astrid, and she was the only person he needed besides their daughter.

 _Holy shit, their daughter._

He owed Sera a _massive_ thank-you. And Hilda, too. Without them, he would've married Cami and Astrid would've stayed in Boston and they would've both been miserable. Now Astrid was moving in to his house in this strange new world, and he couldn't have been happier. Viggo was alive and well and he and Hiccup were actually good friends now that they weren't constantly trying to kill each other. Ryker and Krogan were a different story but he could deal with them.

"Daddy!" Sera called, and Toothless sprang onto the little girl's shoulders. "Mom says she's got her stuff packed and she's ready to go."

"All right. I'll be there in a minute!" Sera left and Hiccup picked up the book that had started his reunion with his wife.

 _ **How to Train Your Dragon.**_

 _Great name, Hilda._

Setting it down, he headed out to go help Astrid move her stuff in. Eret was with her, unsurprisingly, and so was Signy. His sister had Lily clutched in her arms, the baby gurgling and happy.

"How's she doing?" he asked Signy.

"I wish she could sleep through the night, honestly. Luckily I have Eret to tag-team. How the _hell_ did you get through it by yourself?"

"Simple. I need very little sleep, sister dearest."

"How about you help me with your wife's things, Chief?" Eret called. Sera was bouncing on her heels excitedly as she took a box from the backseat of Astrid's Bug. Hiccup followed suit, Stormfly running circles around him and barking.

"It's great to be back," Astrid told Hiccup as they walked towards the house, planting a quick kiss on his cheek. "Now we can be a family again."

"It's great to have you back."

Toothless bounded out of the house, meowing excitedly as he and Stormfly began to roughhouse. The tiny black cat against the big Akita was actually quite a hilarious sight to see.

Sera was watching, too, and suddenly she felt a shiver down her spine.

Something told her that just because they were done with the curse didn't mean they were done with problems…

* * *

 **This took a while but I'm back!**

 **Oh, and the fact that Hiccup and Astrid actually did have a red-headed daughter? Awesome!**

 **So long and thanks for all the fish!**


End file.
